The Mermaid
by Lingonberry1984
Summary: When taking a break from traveling the galaxy, the famous trio finds a mythological creature right out of the storybooks. With their new addition, they are taken on a wild adventure.
1. The Rescue

"Common Spock. A well-deserved break and some time away from the ship is exactly what we need after last week. I am pretty exhausted after that diplomacy mission on Delta Vega, I don't know about you? Back in Iowa, my parents would take me to zoos on holiday. This will be fun!"

"Fun Captain?" Spock raised his eyebrow. While he was interested in checking out the collection of biological life forms that Orion Theta Zoo had to offer, he had not deemed it as fun. But because biology was a hobby of his, he had accepted the invitation.

Jim, Bones and Spock had beamed down to the entrance of the zoo. The Orion Theta planet was a known playground for space travelers, offering any kind of distraction that could be imagined. Above the entrance was a big holographic sign "What happens on Theta, stays on Theta." Bones would have rather seeked out a cold Gin and Tonic, but the zoo was the one attraction they all had been able to agree on. Jim had promised him they would find more "adult" entertainment afterwards. The entire crew had been allowed a full day of rest after a stressful week.

Jim led the trio through the many different exhibits. A few of the animals were recognizable and had been imported from Earth. A few others were new to Jim and Bones.

"Oh look! It is a Kryonian tiger from Nimbus III!" bust out Jim. He was like a kid in a candy store. Spock had slowed down the party even more, intent on reading every plaque, and discussing at length with the animals caretakers about the biological make up and behavior of each creature.

"What do we have left?" Bones asked with a small hint of impatience.

"Only the aquatic exhibit, then I promise Bones that we can leave." Jim answered. The team entered a large building, looking at the variety of aquatic creatures found there.

"It is interesting that water is essential to all life. It is the binding element that ties us all together…." Jim started, not quite sure where to end that thought.

"It is fascinating Captain." Spock replied.

"It says here they actually have a mermaid. Is that even possible? I thought that was just old folklore?" Bones read off a sign. The mentioning of mermaids peeked both Spock and Jim's attention and they walked over. Before the exhibit was two guards. Whatever was in there it was guarded pretty securely.

"Do you think it is scam?" Jim asked.

"It would be well worth the look." Bones replied happily.

"Mermaids were known in old human folklore, said to lure sailors down into the water and drown. But I believe it was later discovered it was all a fairytale and the creatures they thought they saw was actually manatees or sea cows as they are also called." Spock explained.

"Well I am NOT paying 40 credits to see a sea cow!" Bones quickly pointed out.

"Gentlemen! I can see you want to come in and take a look at my most precious creature!" A large burly man jumped out behind them. He looked at them smiling with big yellow teeth sticking out underneath his bushy mustache.

"Trust me gentlemen, it will be the most incredible thing you will ever see. I guarantee you will never forget her. I have men coming back three sometimes four times a week to take a look at her." He continued.

Jim, Spock and Bones looked at each other. Bones finally nodded.

"If it turns out to be a sea cow, I want my money back." He whispered under his breath to Jim.

"Where did you find this creature?" Jim had to ask. The man smiled and looked at them in order and clapped his hands together.

"Oh, I wish I could tell you. I had to pay a small fortune for her, you know. It was quite tricky to get her here. Mermaids do not like to leave the water, as I am sure you know. Please wait here so I can get her ready!"

"Ready?" Spock asked.

"We have to sedate her. If we don't, she can be quite dangerous. It is for your own protection. Please, I will call you when she is ready."

The man disappeared in to the exhibit with the three men waiting outside. Jim was the first to speak.

"I am not the one to stand for animal cruelty. Why do they have to sedate the animal for this kind of thing? I would hope they keep it in a safe comfortable habitat."

"It is very curious indeed." Spock agreed. Waiting outside the exhibit made the men second-guess their decision.

"Gentleman, she is ready for you. Now be careful, and do not be fooled by her beauty, she is a cunning little minx this one." The man called out. He ushered the trio in, and took their payment. In front of them was a large heavy red velvet curtain. The room was dark and had an odd smell. The walls were bare with not information plaques like the other exhibits. There were three plain-looking chairs placed on the floor for them to sit. The placed reminded them of a strip joint. It felt cheap.

"Wait right here." Was the final thing the zookeeper said before excusing himself out of the room. The three men sat down in the chairs, and gave each other a look.

"Well here it goes gentlemen." Jim smiled.

The curtain was removed and the soft reflections of the water lite up the room. At first they didn't see anything. The tank was bare and had no vegetation or other sea life. It appeared empty. On the bottom of the giant tank laid a creature curled up. It was hard to make out what it was until she looked up and made the three friends stop cold. She had long blonde hair and the biggest saddest blue eyes they had ever seem. She was crouched on the bottom of the tank, seeming unable to move. Spock got out of his chair and walked up directly to the window placing his hand on the glass.

Her fins were a soft turquoise, pink and dark green color. It reflected on the tank walls as the light hit them. Her lips were partially open and she seemed to be saying something. Her upper body was exposed showing her pale ivory skin. Slowly she moved along the floor up to the window to the three Starfleet Officers. Both Jim and Bones were left speechless.

"Fascinating." Spock said. The mermaid was right next to the window now, placing her hand where Spock's was on the other side of the glass. She looked deeply into his eyes. Her lips were moving.

"What do you think she is saying Spock?" Jim asked. He moved from the chair and up to the window with him.

"I am not sure Captain. I could attempt to communicate with her, but the glass is too thick for a mind-meld" Spock replied. None of the men could take their eyes off of this creature. She appeared young, in her mid twenties. She looked frail and malnourished. But the sadness was what stood out about her the most.

"I want to take a closer look. Look at this tank! How can you expect a creature to live here?" Jim ordered. He was getting angry. Even though she was half fish, she was also half human. No human deserved to live in these conditions. He walked to the door leaving Bones and Spock at the window. The mermaid was looking at both Bones and Spock, obviously trying to tell them something.

"I can't take you up to the tank mister. It is too dangerous. She had gotten a few of my men that way. Only a very select few are allowed inside and they are highly trained in dealing with her." Explained the zookeeper.

"I demand to be taken inside. I want to see her!" Insisted Jim.

"You and thousands of others just like you do too."

"You will show me the tank. Or I will have you on animal cruelty. Or more accurately, in violation to human rights set by the Federation." Jim coolly replied. It seemed to work, the man nodded, and lead Jim up a set of stairs that would lead to the top of the tank.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." The zookeeper said dryly before opening the large metalic door. The top of the tank was quiet, but there were five guards with weapons walking around the edge of it. The setting was pretty tranquil, if you didn't know what laid underneath the surface. Back down in the viewing room, Spock and Bones were trying to figure out what the girl was trying to tell them.

Even he couldn't touch her mind; Spock could see in her eyes what she was trying to say. The agony was on her face, and in her eyes. She wanted their help. How many others she had asked and been ignored, he didn't know. But here she was, looking deep into his eyes and asking for his assistance. Without knowing why, Spock gave the slightest of nods. She stopped and just looked at him for a second, perhaps not sure she had seen it. Then in the flick of her tail she was gone.

"We cannot leave her here Doctor." Was all he could say.

"I feel the same way. Lets get Jim and device a plan to get her out of this tank. This whole thing is obviously shady as hell. This whole operation smells illegal." Bones agreed. They were about to head out the door when they started hearing a commotion from the top of the tank. Bones and Spock ran back to the window and could not believe their eyes. Whatever sedative the guards thought they had injected the young mermaid with, was clearly not working. The mermaid was swimming quickly in circles around the tank, creating a whirlpool. As she was swimming she was puling the guards into the water through a projectile cord from her wrists. In the water the guards were unable to swim by the quick current. One by one they were being pulled down to the bottom of the tank, kicking and screaming. The maneuver was similar to how dolphins hunt. An alarm went off and Bones looked at Spock. Both men were thinking the same thing: Jim.

They ran up the stairs, as there was already many others already gathering at the top of the tank. Jim was standing by the wall looking on the chaos not sure who he should help.

"Jim!" Bones screamed waving him over. Jim looked at them and nodded. He took out his communicator to message the ship. What he said was out of range of the other two.

"Close the bars! Don't let her get out!" someone yelled. Slowly on top of the tank, large metal bars started to close down that would leave the poor victims in the water unable to escape. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The bars had been lowered down halfway when like a torpedo the young mermaid shoots out of the water and slides over the slick floor. She lands almost directly in front of Jim's feet. Her pale blue eyes looking up at him. Without skipping a beat he picks her up and starts heading to the others. Bones jumps on the communicator.

"Now Scotty, NOW!"

Before the other guards and the zookeeper had a chance to realize what was happening the Starfleet Crew with their new addition was beamed out of the room.


	2. Fish Out of Water

"Jim are you crazy? We have nowhere to put her! Are you gonna let her live in the water processing plant? Let alone all the regulations you just violated. Admiral Crownwell strip us of our ranks before we know it!" Bones shouts as soon as they were safely back on the USS Enterprise. Bones was also the only one who could get away with addressing the Captain in that manner. Jim looked down at the creature that was in his arms. She had placed her arms around his neck and was looking right back at him with her big eyes. She gave him a smile that made his heart melt.

"Not to mention, we know very little about the biological make-up of mermaids." Spock chipped in.

"Ok you two, calm down. We will figure something out." Jim replied. He knew he had made the right decision. "You know as well as I do that place was harboring and exploiting this poor girl… creature illegally. I highly doubt they will be sending out any reports." He continued.

The trio had created quite a scene, and the other cadets on deck were speechless when they saw what was in Jim's arms.

"I must be suffering from Kromlingan flu and seeing things! I don't know what to say Captain. Is it really what I think it is?" stammered Scotty.

"Your eyes are not fooling you Scotty. She is real all right. And she needs our help. We need to find a way to take her home, and back to her people." Jim answered.

One of the cadets draped a blanket around the mermaid to cover her upper body. They set out to medical bay, so they could learn more about her and figure out where she would be placed on board the ship. Bones nudged Nurse Chapel.

"We will need a lot of water in sick-bay. Make sure we get clearance codes for extra rations please..."

All eyes flowed the trio as they left the transporter room.

They placed wet towels around her fins so they would not dry out as she was sitting on one of the examination tables in sickbay. Both Bones and Spock did their own readings trying to find out more about her. Jim made sure to hold her hand, as she was starting to get scared by all the commotion going on around her. He had seen how dangerous she could be first hand, but she was also clearly intelligent to tell friend from foe. Nurses, doctors and a few curious cadets walked through trying to help as much as they could.

"Fascinating!" Spock stopped dead in his tracks.

"What is it?" Jim asked.

"While she mutations are clear and she has developed an extra set of lungs, gills, etc…. Her DNA make-up is exactly that of a human. It is a 99.76% match. " Spock replied.

"What? How is that possible?"

"It is clear she shares a common origin with Earth and might be even born there."

"I am pretty sure we would have discovered mermaids Spock…" Bones replied dryly, but could not come up with a better explanation for the test results. The readings were clear. The three friends looked puzzled over the tri-coder read out. Not noticing what was going on by the examination table. One of the towels feel off which made Bones look up. What he saw made him almost drop his instruments. Instead of the fins she had earlier, there were two perfectly shaped human legs. The transformation made all of them gasp and even Spock couldn't help but to look surprised. The young girl blushed and looked down.

"How did you do that?" Bones asked her. Although it was clear she did not understand them, she simply smiled at them like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Fascinating!" Spock said again. Jim looked at him.

"Stop with the fascinating already!" He walked back over to the young mermaid. She laughed and lifted up one of her legs and wiggled her toes right in front of him.

"Well that does solve a few things. Now we know she can live out of the water." Bones muttered. Jim had to laugh. The idea of her living in the water processing plant had been absurd. He then got serious and looked her straight in the eye. He pointed to himself and said his name. He then made sure to name both Bones and Spock. The young girl seemed to get the idea and smiled.

"Dahlonega." She replied. She had a name. As abruptly as she had transformed she tried jumping off the table to try out her new legs. Her legs gave way and she feel on the floor right in front of them. Bones reached down to help her up.

"Don't worry, you will get the hang of it eventually." He smiled. He helped her walk a few steps around the room, each time her legs getting stronger. Bones placed her back on the table and helped resuscitate some of the mussel-tissue in her legs. Under Bones excellent care she was walking perfectly in under one hour. They looked over her body again and her gills were gone. She could hide her mutations by choice which made her even more fascinating. They did however notice her body dehydrated quicker than a normal human being, so they made sure she had access to plenty of water.

The nurses helped the young girl get washed and dressed, while the trio tried to decide where to place her for the night. They tried to give her a little bit of food but she didn't seem to trust anything that came out of the replicator. The girl was clearly unfamiliar with modern technology, and didn't speak any languages that they knew of. There was a room a few doors down from Jim's captain quarters. Usually kept for visitors, it was left empty.

They walked Dahlonega down to her room making sure she would be comfortable. They tried their best to gesture that the bed was for her to sleep on. Dahlonega could not stop looking around; she was really seeing everything for the first time. She felt the walls with her hands, looking at every object, tasting it, examinating them closely.

"This situation does remind me of a story my mother used to read to me." Spock said after watching her for a while.

"It reminds me of a few stories, but perhaps you were thinking of the Jungle Book?" Jim replied. Spock nodded. They let her look around and finally she sat down on the bed. They smiled and bid her good night. She watched them carefully as they exited the room. As soon as the door closed they could hear her running over and banging on the door. She was whimpering and crying on the inside. They quickly opened the door again and Dahlonega ran out right into Spock's arms. He had not expected it, and accepted the embrace rather stiffly.

"I was afraid of that." Bones smiled. They looked at each other and knew she could not be left alone. They discussed the different options, which there weren't that many. Back to sick bay was out, since there were too many things she could hurt herself on unsupervised. Bones had many other patients to tend to, and would not be able to watch her. Jim was going back on duty, which really left only one other person. Spock raised his eyebrow.

"That is highly inappropriate Captain…" he protested, still in Dahlonega embrace.

"Spock, you have a good 15 hours before you go back on duty. We will put a second bed in your quarters. Give her a Vulcan pinch and she will go right to sleep. I trust you will take good care of her. Besides… it seems she had already taken a liking to you." Jim smiled. Reluctantly Spock agreed not sure knowing why. Dahlonega was still embracing him, and he could smell the sweet scent of her hair. It pleased him more then he was willing to admit.

The second cot was brought in to the small First Officer quarters, and Spock made sure to place his most dear things high up where she wouldn't be tempted to touch them. At least not for now. Dahlonega was calmer now than earlier and went happily to her cot once everything was set up. So far she had not said a thing, but they could tell she was studying them closely. Jim and Bones said their good nights for a second time and left the quarters. Spock was unsure how to welcome his new guest, and decided to make them some tea. Dahlonega's eyes followed him around the room. He placed a chair close to her and handed her the cup of warm tea. She flinched when she felt the heat from the cup, but then discovered the handle that was safe to touch. Spock made a note how quickly she learned and adapted. He held the cup up to his lips showing her what to do. She followed suit, trying not to burn herself on the hot liquid. She gave him a big smiled in approval. Both of them remained quite, he felt it would be illogical to start a conversation when she obviously didn't know what he was saying. They finished their tea in silence and he took the cups back into the kitchen. When he came back he saw Dahlonega on the chair, trying it out herself. She was trying to learn. He sat down on the cot opposite to her. He reached his hand up the way he had when he saw her in the water. She mimicked his gesture and their palms touched. Slowly he placed his other hand on her cool face. She didn't pull back, or try to resist. He felt the smoothness of her face as he let his mind go. He wanted to communicate with her.

_Where do you come from?_

_ He saw flashes of many beautiful women, all of them mermaids. She called them her sisters. They had lived for many hundreds of years together. He could feel her love for her family, her sisters, how happy she was. He learned that mermaids are very social creatures. Everything is shared in the pod as they called it. They would eat, sleep and play together. They lived in a small tight community where they were safe, deep in the ocean. Down there they had everything they needed. Rarely did they visit the surface, unless it was to lure a mate. He saw her sing to the sailors, many whom tried to force themselves on the mermaids. Aggression was met with aggression, and many sailors were pulled down and drowned if they tried to hurt the mermaids. Only a select few of the men would be chosen and taken back down to their nest. What he saw fascinated him, and he would have liked to learn more about their culture but decided to go further. _

_ What about earlier? _

_ Everything went dark. He pushed to go further back in time. Even memories she had forgotten, he pushed to bring them into the light. He looked deep inside her mind, assuring her he wouldn't hurt her. In an instance he was out of the water and found himself standing in a farmer's house dating back to the early 1800's in what looked the British Isles. He recognized the botany of the region that made him certain he was on Earth and in the spring. The sun was shining outside and the windows were open to let a soft breeze in. His sensitive Vulcan ears could hear waves of the ocean off in the distance. _

_ "Do you want to see my room?" A small blond girl looked up at him. She was holding a doll under her arm; the other reached up and grabbed his hand. _

_ "Yes, that would please me." He answered. The two of them walked through the house, into a small room that was decorated with children's drawings and a few books. There were not many toys, just a few ceramic horses and a teddy bear. There was a single small bed that had been neatly made. The little girl let go of Spock's hand and started to play with her doll on the floor. Within a few minutes there was a loud bang from the front door. The little girl slumped over her doll, and did not say a word. Footsteps were coming from the kitchen area, dragging on the floor. _

_ "Emma! Emma! Where are you? Come here!" _

_ The call came from a man, and his movements came closer. The little girl on the floor didn't answer, the whole time she sat still looking at her little dolls face. The man finally appeared in the doorway. He couldn't see Spock and looked straight through him._

_ "Get over here. Are you stupid or something, why don't you come when I call you?" the man slurred. He reached over and slapped her twice over the head as punishment. The little girl whimpered and looked up at Spock. The man smelled of alcohol and moved on into the other bedroom. Slowly the little girl got up and followed him in there. The door closes behind her. _

_ Spock got the sense of total hopelessness and sadness. He sensed her father touching her inappropriately. She had closed the door so he wouldn't have to see it, but he knew it. Suddenly the whole house starts shaking. _

_ STOP! Please stop it! _

Spock withdrew his hand and the link was broken. Dahlonega's eyes were wet and she was shaking. Her cries got stronger and she reaches over and embraces him a second time. She shakes violently, and Spock did not know what he could do to comfort her. Instead he let her be, and cry in his arms. He placed his hands around her.

"I…I… didn't want to… I didn't want to remember!" she says in-between her spasms. The memories had been traumatic for her, but it had also helped her remember her native language: English.

"It was not my intention to hurt you." He finally says. She calms down a little bit and lets him go. He was still surprised by her background.

"So you were born human?" he inquired. Emma nods.

"How did you become a mermaid?"

She was silent for a while, searching for the words she hadn't used for such a long time. Slowly she begins to speak.

"I ran away. I couldn't take it anymore…. I wanted to die. I jumped in the cold ocean hoping I would drown. But instead my sisters saved me." She explains. Her blue eyes met his. No one was born a mermaid you were made into one. You had to be saved.

Spock decided that he would not push her further for tonight. She had already been through a lot in just the past few hours. He turns the light off and bids her good night. He had made sure she would be comfortable and had turned the temperature down compared to what he was used to. He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes, waiting for the stillness to come. He could hear her moving outside his room, wondering if she could not sleep. Right when he was almost completely asleep when he feels her next to him. She had curled up in bed with him resting her head right next to his heart. Of course there is no why she would have known that his heart was where his liver would be if he had been human. Nor could she have known that it was beating 6 beats per minutes faster than before. He felt her warm body and was about to object when he could feel she was already fast asleep.

Vulcans in general need little sleep. Spock would often fill his hours off duty reading, playing music, or playing three-dimensional chess. In a twenty-four hour period he would often not sleep more then three to four hours. He knew humans typically required twice as much, which made his hesitant to move and get up with his visitor lying right next to him. He had been sleeping for 4.45 hours, which was even more than he typically needed. He had not shared his bed with anyone for exactly 436 days and it had been back on Vulcan. It had been when he had gone through pon farr the last time. Because T'Pring had been released from their betrothal, he had been forced to seek out other company to help him with the fever. The last time he had been home, his mother had asked if he would consider taking a new mate. He knew what she was implying: grandchildren. But being on the Enterprise, taking a mate had seemed illogical. A few of the crewmen had their families with them, but the life onboard a starship was often stressful and hard.

Lying on his small bunk, he listened to Dahlonega breathing deeply. Her warm body against his pleased him. Her skin was smooth, and he could feel her soft hair tickling his arm. He knew he could have protested more when Jim suggested his room, or even been forceful and said no when she came in. He had not acted logically, which bothered him. He glanced at the clock next to his bed, which read 3:37 am. Knowing that Dahlonega would probably sleep a few more hours, he decided to meditate on his decisions from the day before.


	3. The Return of the Klingons

_Author's Note: Thank you for all your wonderful feedback! I am enjoying all of your comments very much. Thank you for reading! _

"Captain, we are being hailed." Lt Uhura reports. The screen in front of them on the bridge lights up and Admiral Crownwell fills the screen. Jim felt a little nervous in his chair, even though he was fully prepared to explain his actions. Perhaps he had underestimated that lame zookeeper after all? Upon returning to the bridge he had quickly ordered everyone back on ship and made a fairly speedy get away.

"Captain Kirk. I have some urgent matters to speak to you about." Crownwell always looked stern, but this time there was an extra wrinkle in his brow.

_Shit he knows._

"Admiral Crownwell, I assure you I can explain everything…" he begins.

The Admiral did not seem to hear him, because he dove right in and started talking. He explained that because the earlier diplomacy mission had gone so well, the USS Enterprise has been selected to escort both the Terran and Vulcan Ambassador back to Earth from Romulus. Once back in Earth's orbit, the ship would have go through some routine maintenance. With that the crew would be allowed three-week leave before the next mission was to start. Jim liked the sound of that.

"Now what was it you wanted to explain to me...?" The admiral finally added.

"Oh… after so much good news, it slipped my mind. But when I think of it, I will be sure you message you Admiral." Jim smiled.

The men said their goodbyes and the screen went dark. Jim gave the order to Sulu to set in the coordinates for Romulus immediately. It was going to be a long day in front of him, and he already couldn't wait to feel his bunk and pillow. With such important dignitaries on-board the ship had to be in top shape, and everything working smoothly. The rooms had to be prepared and the menu for the first dinner on-board had to be set. That was the custom. Jim made a mental note to lay out his formal uniform before his nap so it would be ready.

Emma was waking up shortly after the Enterprise entered the orbit around Romulus. She looked around the room and noticed she was alone. It was obvious the customs here were different from what she was used to. She missed the company and closeness she had with her sisters. Her dreams had been vivid, and were a scramble between her life as Dahlonega and Emma. Spock had entered her mind last night and made her remember things she had forgotten so long ago. But besides the memories she had also felt him. His goodness. His mind. She had felt his presence inside her head. The past few months had been so traumatic being a prisoner in that one man's freak show. She longed to be back with her sisters, but knew that time was long past. She had seen them be killed in the raid by those creatures. She didn't know what they were since they were clearly not human. She had been the lone survivor, which had lead to her captivity. She was also grateful for her release, and to finally feel safe. The memories gave her a hard knot in her stomach, she sat up and felt it growl. She was very hungry, but she still had a hard time trusting her new friends and the food they had given her. The food here just didn't look right. After living on fish for so many years, she was finding it hard to adjust.

Spock had been informed about the dignitaries that would be boarding the ship in a few hours. He looked forward to see his mother so unexpectedly. It had been a few months since his last visit to Vulcan. It was not often she would accompany his father on diplomatic missions. The relationship with his father was cordial, but more strained. He walked on to the bridge two hours early in order to help with all the preparations. He knew Jim would welcome it. He had hoped that Emma would be ok unattended, and would send a cadet to check on her after reaching the bridge. It would also give him an opportunity to fill Jim in on the new details he had learned about her last night.

The reception of the ambassadors went well. The diplomatic mission on Romulus had been a good one, and the ambassadors were in good spirits. Kirk had received them in the transporter room and they had proceeded to the small reception before dinner. Along with Ambassador Sarek and his wife Amanda, were the human Ambassador Marcus and Admiral Cartwright. A long table had been set up to accommodate the large party in the formal meeting area of the ship. It was one of the few places on the ship that allowed a stunning view of the galaxy around them.

"Jim, I don't understand why they make these formal uniforms so darn uncomfortable. The neck is always so tight!" whispered Bones to Jim. Both of them stood stiffly in their fresh-ironed uniforms. Jim flashed him a smile in agreement.

"Gentlemen, we will reach Earth in two days. But until then I hope you will enjoy your time onboard. The first dinner on-board has been prepared, please join me in the dining room." Jim ushered his guests in to the dining room. The dignitaries had taken their spots by the table when the door opened. A petit cadet slid in and saluted the Captain. Behind her Emma walked in a long blue dress. Her hair had been brushed and left to flow behind her as she walked. She looked nervous, eyeing each of the new faces around the table. Jim stood up and smiled while waving her over to an open seat.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to introduce you to our other guest on board Emma. She is still…. unaccustomed to all the new things on board but she has been adjusting wonderfully. We are taking her back to Earth."

Emma sat down next to Jim and Bones across from her. She greeted the curious looks from the others. She remained quiet, as she was still insecure with the amount of English she knew. The conversation soon picked up and she was out of the limelight. Emma noticed Spock was in conversation with the older women across from him but that he would still look over towards her and meet her gaze. She picked up the clear cup that was place in front of her. Everything for so foreign to her.

"I hope I am the first one to tell you that you look wonderful this evening Ms. Emma." Bones chipped in leaning in towards her. Emma smiled.

"Thank you Doctor McCoy. You do as well."

"Please, call me Bones."

Cadets pour a dark color liquid in the clear cups and brought out food for the guests. The liquid smelled funny and Emma wrinkled her nose. The table made a toast and celebrated to good fortune they had on Romulus. A trading agreement was close at hand that would be beneficial to both Earth and Vulcan. Emma tasted the dark liquid, and even after a few sips she started to feel dizzy. The things Jim and Bones were telling her started to blur together. She couldn't help herself but she burst out laughing loudly.

The dinner party go quiet and looked over at the scene developing at the end of the table. Emma could not stop laughing and felt suddenly like dancing. The liquid made her feel wonderful, and happy. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. She finished her glass and started to hymn a song as she started to dance around the table. Bones gave Jim a worried look. He had thought about the affects of alcohol on Emma, but has ruled out any serious side effects since she was human after all. It seemed like the wine had gotten to her rather quickly. Very quickly in fact. It was clear that with the mutations the wine affected her more than a normal person.

"Bones… " Jim started to give an order but was trying hard not to burst out laughing. Even Amanda had to give a smile, the poor girl was singing beautifully but she was obviously drunk.

"Great… lets make a mental note to not give her wine at the next function, shall we?" Bones ordered. Bones quickly got Emma and made her sit back down. He poured her a large glass of water and put it in her hand.

"Thank you for such a lovely performance Ms Emma. We will do it again soon sometime." He smiled as she drank the water. The scene had definitely made the evening memorable, and Emma realized she perhaps had not acted the way she should have.

The dinner was over and the party had moved in to one of the smaller common areas attached to the Captain's quarters. Amanda was talking quietly with Emma, as the men enjoyed another round of Romulan ale. Ambassador Marcus and Admiral Cartwright had excused themselves for the evening, and the atmosphere became more casual with both Jim and Bones being good friends to Ambassador Sarek's family.

"Spock would you do us the honor of playing the lyre for us this evening. It has been so long since I heard you play it." Amanda asked. Spock gave her the slightest of smiles.

"Mother, you honor me. I have not played for you in over a year." He responded. He picked up the instrument into his lap. Flicking the few of the cords making sure it was tuned right before he started to play. The room fell silent and all eyes were directed to Spock in the middle. The song was an old Vulcan melody, and was one of his favorites. Emma loved the melody played, and settled right next to him. Their eyes met and she gave him a smile. Jim could see there was a connection between Emma and his first officer. He couldn't help it but he felt a small pang of jealousy. He had been the one who had saved her after all.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Emma whispered to Spock. He stopped the song and gave her a slight nod, before playing a new melody. Emma's song filled the room with her crisp and clean voice as she harmonized with the lyre. The end of their performance everyone greeted them with applauds.

"That was beautiful." Amanda praised. Finally Sarek motioned that it was time to retire and he and his wife said their goodnights. Amanda turned to Spock when no one was watching and whispered to him.

"She is a wonderful girl my son. I would be very honored if I would be allowed to tutor her."

"I would welcome that. I would have to consult with the Captain first however before I would be able to give you a formal answer." Spock answered. Amanda smiled.

"Like I said my son, she is a wonderful girl. Goodnight."

Spock was a little confused by his mother's last words. Was his mother implying something else? Had she seen that he paid special attention to Emma? He believed that his mother would not miss such a detail, but it would be illogical of her to imply there was more there. He had not even told her about last night. With that in mind he made a mental note to speak with Jim that Emma could not spend the night with him again. They were not bonded and sleeping together was something only reserved for married couples.

Jim was more than eager to let Emma sleep somewhere else for the night. He was still a little jealous of the attention Emma was giving Spock. He set Emma up in her own room this time, with a female cadet to keep her company. She had accepted the new arrangements and settled in for the night. But there had been something about her when he had said his goodnight. Had he noticed a little sadness in her eyes?

Emma woke up being almost shaken out of bed. The whole ship shock and Emma thought she was experiencing an earthquake until she remembered where she was. The young cadet accompanying her woke up and got dressed in seconds. They both got scared as the alarm started going off.

"RED ALERT! All cadets man you stations. RED ALERT"

"I am sorry. I have to go to my station! I will be back to check on you!"

With those words the young female cadet ran out the door. Emma was unsure what to do, but the alarm made her afraid. Where her captors here to try to take her back?

On the bridge Captain Kirk was manning the helm. While in route to Earth they had been attacked by a Klingon warbird. They had snuck up on them cloaked and fired on them from behind. The ship had taken two hits; luckily their shields had been up. But Jim hated when someone tried to rough up his girl, no one beat up the Enterprise if he had something to say about it. He was not going to let the Klingons get away with it, but he also had to think about protecting the important dignitaries onboard. The attack was no consistent with previous Klingon attacks however. It had seemed like they were not trying to disable the ship. Rather they were trying to get their attention. Their plan had worked. Finally the large warbird uncloaked and the signal sounded on the bridge that the Klingons were ready to talk.

"Captain James T Kirk."

"Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

"I am Captian Torak. And you have something that belongs to us."

"Oh, I highly doubt that..." Jim fired back. Whatever the Klingons wanted, he was not going to play.

"Give us the creature Kirk. Or we will destroy your ship." Demanded the Klingon captain. Jim had an idea of whom he was talking about and giving up Emma was out of the question.

"I am carrying important dignitaries Captain Torak. If you destroyed this ship, the federation would hunt you down and you would never cross the neutral zone again. I would be surprised if you would live another day." Jim answered. He did not like threats. The response was not what the Klingon captain wanted. He wrinkled his ridged forehead and growled.

"You are carrying something else too. She is ours Kirk. She belongs to us. You stole something that was not rightfully yours!"

"You can't claim something you can't rightfully own to begin with." Jim was getting annoyed with this bullish Klingon.

"Jim, if you are harboring the mermaid on board, remembers this. There will always be someone looking for her and to steal her away. The power she posses is great, and she knows the secret to immortality. Do not think we will cease in our attempts to get to her. We will...eventually. We did before." The Klingon snapped and the screen went blank.

"Fire! Don't let them get away!" Kirk ordered as soon as the negotiations were over. He was not going to let those Klingon scum get away after that. The Enterprise fired but the Klingon warbird was quick to cloak and disappear out of view. They could see where the torpedoes struck the shields but the ship disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. They could only track it on their scanners.

"Captain, do you want to pursue the ship?" asked Chekov.

Jim would have liked nothing more than to give those Klingons a good spanking after such threats but he had to remember his orders and who was on board.

"Negative, we have to continue our route back to Earth. We will give them a head start for this time Mr Chekov. Mr. Sulu give us Warp 8."


	4. On Planet

_Author's Note: Sorry for such a long delay! There has been so much going on the past few weeks. Thanks again for your comments, I know I am not strictly to the Trek cannon but I am enjoying myself in my own little Trek universe. The next few chapters should be a little more action packed _

The Enterprise slide into the space dock and Jim could feel the clamps locking the giant ship into place. The crew had welcomed the three-week shore leave and Jim had to agree it was going to be nice to relax. However, the Klingon attack two days ago made him anxious to get going as soon as possible. The quicker he could run them down the better. He had made a thorough report to Starship Command about the attack and the matter was being dealt on the highest level. USS Endeavor had been assigned to patrol and check the last coordinates where the Klingon war bird had been spotted.

Jim and Spock had not mentioned to Emma about the threats the Klingon's had made. They thought it best until they could make more sense out of it. The secret to immortality? Jim was eager to ask her about it, and in time he would, as her English was getting better. Spock had learned mermaids lived a very long time similar to Vulcans. But were they immortal? Emma still looked and acted like a young girl, in some type of arrested development. It was hard to say exactly how old she was. If Spock's mind-meld was correct, and she really was born back in the 1800 she would be a few hundred years old! Even older than Ambassador Sarek or T'pau who was one of the most distinguished and oldest Vulcans. Amanda had taken the "young" girl under her tutorship and was doing a wonderful job. Jim could see a change already.

"Captain all the maintenance should be done in three weeks or less." Scotty noted over the link. Jim was sitting in his captain quarters finishing up before being transported back down to Earth.

"Do you think you can have her ready in two?"

"Captain! You flatter me. You know I am not going to let no fool work on my girl without my supervision. I will oversee the maintenance work myself."

"I know you would have it no other way Scotty." Jim smiled. Where would he be without his trusted engineer? The door chimed and opened to his first officer.

"Spock! I trust you will be accompanying your parents back to Earth?"

"That is unless you need me to stay on board with the ship." Spock responded.

Jim had to smile.

"Are you parents already wearing you thin Spock?"

"Peculiar expression Captain. You are asking if my parent's presence is starting to irritate me. Which I have to remind you is a human emotion. They are not wearing my thinly… or in any other manner for that matter"

Spock gave Jim a slight smile. Jim had to laugh; Spock had a keen sense of humor when he wanted to show it.

"That bad huh?"

"My father's presence can be… challenging."

"Well unfortunately we are all being relieved from our duties for a few days. Myself included. So it looks like we both will be forced to undertake our more domestic duties and spend time with our families. I know my mother have been calling almost non-stop to find out when I will arrive."

"I've heard. She invited the doctor and myself to your sister's birthday party."

"That woman will stop at nothing to get me back to Iowa. Yeah, it is in four days. They are thrilled I will actually be on planet for once."

The two exited out of the quarters and headed to the transporter pad. When they arrived Amanda, Sarek and Emma were waiting for them. Emma smiled at the two men when they came in.

"Captain Jim have you heard the wonderful news?" Emma shouted with a big smile on her face. The name always made Jim smile since she was the only one to call him Captain Jim. Maybe once they were off the ship she could start to call him just Jim.

"I have NOT heard the good news, please do tell me!"

"Ms. Amanda and Ambassador Sarek have invited me to stay with them while in San Francisco!"

Jim quickly glanced over at Spock. The Vulcan was good at repressing his emotions but Jim could see his eyes widening. Spock's shore leave was suddenly looking pretty good.

"That is excellent news. That is very generous." He responded.

"I hope you will come to visit Captain Jim?"

"I would love that. I will be in Iowa for a few days but I promise to come and see you as soon as I get back into town."

"I would like that very much." Emma smiled and gave Jim a hug. They stepped into the transporter pad entered the shuttle back to Earth.

Emma stepped outside for the first time in a long time. Longer than she could remember. The air in San Francisco was chilly and she had been issued some heavier clothes onboard. She didn't have much of a wardrobe but Amanda has promised they would change that once on planet. Clouds laid over the city with light rain hitting her. She loved the water and welcomed it. She opened her mouth and let a few raindrops fall into her mouth. She had received a few curious looks from the others, and had quickly stopped. She could barely wait to see the ocean again. She could almost taste the salt water in her mouth, and the currents pulling her. She craved it with ever fiber of her being. Land was very different from what she remembered it being like. But she also had not walked on land in a very long time. She had stayed away from humans the best she could in the years she had spent with her sisters.

A car had been assigned to pick them up and drive them to the ambassador's house. Emma could not stop looking at the tall skyscrapers and all the masses of people walking around. There must at least be a few thousands; she had lost count long time ago. The view made her feel more self-conscious and shy. Amanda gave her a reassuring smile, and took her hand.

"Feels good to be home?"

Emma nodded. But home was far from what she remembered. It was just as alien as the starship she had been living on. The ambassador's mansion was in a green part of town. It featured a wonderful view of the city sitting on one of its many surrounding hills. The house had a beautiful garden that Amanda had personally planted when they had bought the house. The garden was a small mirror of the one she had on Vulcan, but featured different plants. It was complete with a small fountain and a Japanese rock garden. Spock was quick to help with the bags and carried them into the house. The rain had gotten heavier and it was now pouring. Everyone hurried into the house except Emma who was running her hands through the small fountain and walking through the garden.

"I get the feeling she misses the water. Maybe I will take her to the beach tomorrow." Amanda noted, thinking out loud.

"Yes, I think that would please her very much my wife." Sarek answered. Amanda was already halfway to the linen cabinet fetching a towel, knowing Emma would probably be drenched by the time she came in. The gesture made her think back on the few holidays she had taken Spock back to Earth when he was a child. He had loved the water as well. Slowly Emma joined them and stood soaking wet by the front door. Her clothes stuck to her body outlining her figure.

"You will catch a cold if you keep this up." Amanda said sternly. She couldn't help but to mother her. She dried Emma's hair and wrapped the towel around her shoulders. Emma nodded hanging her head in shame. Amanda had to smile and shock her head. They headed upstairs to get her changed.

As Emma was finding new dry clothes to wear, there was a knock on the bedroom door. She hurried and opened it and to her joy Spock was standing there. She had not had a chance to put on a new shirt, and she could tell Spock was surprised since she was only in a bra and pants. She was starting to learn his settle hints of emotion, even if he hid them pretty well.

"My apologies…I did not mean to interrupt." Was all Spock could say and he was about to turn and walk away.

"Spock! Are you heading back to your apartment already? Won't you join us for dinner?" Asked Amanda as she handed Emma a new shirt. Spock's eye tried to find a point in the room so he wasn't staring at Emma getting dressed.

"I had not planned on…"

"Please stay." Emma begged.

"I have to return to Starfleet, I came to say good night." Spock answered.

"Ms Amanda is taking me to the ocean tomorrow. Would you like to join us?"

"I will consider it."

Spock was quick to leave, and took his good byes. The car was waiting outside ready to take him downtown to Starfleet headquarters. He watches his parents home disappear in the distance. The past few days had allowed him little sleep, even by Vulcan standards. He was having a difficult time meditating and putting his mind to rest. His interactions with Emma had been limited after the first few days, but he could still not get her out of his mind. He was wondering if this is what Jim meant about having a female get "under his skin". It was troubling, since he could not solve this problem logically. He still could feel her body curl up to him and her soft hair tickling his skin. He remembered every detail of her body. He could recall her memories with accuracy, and how she felt like an outsider, like him. She was the last one of her kind. He could feel how alone she felt.

She was far from any other female he had encountered. Although, he didn't have that many to compare to. After T'Pring had broken off the betrothal, Jim had done his best to drag Spock out to almost every social engagement in the San Francisco area. Jim and McCoy had tried to drag him out a few times to a bar to "flirt" and perform the other degrading human seduction rituals like dancing. But similar to the females on Vulcan, he felt the women in the bar view him as a curiosity. Emma was different. The night that Emma had curled up next to him had been etched into him memory. He wanted more. He hadn't considered taking a mate before, but now… Being in Starfleet and having a family seemed illogical to him. Families of commanders were allowed to be onboard, but most moved from base to base. Life on a starship was dangerous. Also as a Vulcan, he was incapable of love… or so he believed. Or was he? He saw the bond his parents had, but such a match was rare. He braced himself for another sleepless night as he got out of the car and walked up to his apartment.

Emma stood looking over the rocky shore. It was early morning, and she had barely slept. The trip to the shore had been on her mind all night. Amanda had called for a shuttle at the first light of dawn. Emma dipped her feet in the freezing salt water. She looked back at Amanda and gave her a big smile. She looked towards the horizon and jumped right in. The cold water felt like knifes on her skin, but she adjusted quickly. If she had been with her sisters they would have moved to warmer water where hunting was better. The last thing Amanda could see was Emma's fins breaking the surface of the water. In an instance she was gone.

The current was strong and it pulled Emma straight out to sea. But it didn't bother her. Her water lungs kicked in and she swam through the San Francisco bay like a torpedo. She felt incredible and finally back where she belonged. She knew eventually she would have to turn back. She didn't want Ms. Amanda to get worried or have to wait too long. But right now... she was free. Emma followed the ocean floor passing lobsters, fish and a few sharks along the way until there was no trace of human life and the vast open ocean laid before her. She finally swam up to the surface and could see not coastline in sight. Looking down all she could see was the dark abyss. She knew she had to turn back.

Later in the evening, back at the house, Amanda opened the door and saw her son standing on the doorstep. He had come unannounced, but she was happy to see him.

"It is late Spock. Are you alright?"

"I am well mother."

"There is still some dinner left over if you are hungry."

"Thank you."

They walk through the hallway and into the kitchen.

"I am afraid you father is being kept late at the Embassy."

"It is fine. I came to inquire how your day was."

"It was beautiful. Emma is reading in the living room. I made her a fire, since the water was quite chilly today. I thought she might never come back. I saw her swim off on the shore. Did you know how fast she is? I waited for at least an hour, and then I saw her… she was beautiful. Was that how she looked when you first saw her?"

"Yes. Did anyone else see you?"

"Oh no, we were alone. It was far too early and chilly for anyone else to venture out. Even the seals were surprised to see us."

"Good. It is perhaps for her own protection that no one else outside of Starfleet knows about her abilities." Spock whispered. Amanda nodded.

"She is strong my son, and very clever. She is learning about her new world very quickly. She is already reading again on her own. But she needs protecting."

"I agree. At least until we know what and who is after her." Spock added. Amanda and Spock talked quietly in the kitchen while Spock finished a late dinner. Spock walked into the living room, as he was getting ready to leave. The fire was cracking and giving off a soft glow over the sofa. Emma had fallen asleep with a book lying across her chest. She was breathing softly, but her eyelids moving. Her mind busy in a dream. Spock kneeled down next to her, studying her face. She was most distracting to him. Amanda walked up behind him.

"I think the excitement of the day has worn her out. We should put her to bed."

"Allow me."

Spock carefully closes the book that Emma was reading, marks her place and places it on the table. He gently slides his arms around her. Her face falls right underneath his chin as he picks her up into his arms. She smells as sweet as the night she was in his room. Her skin was cool to his. Spock walks up the stairs to the guest bedroom. Amanda watches her son as his disappears up the stairs.

"Goodnight you two." She whispers under her breath.

The bedroom was dark but Spock's eyes adjust easily. Emma was still asleep in his arms as he places her softly on the bed. He brushes her hair out of her face and she moves slightly. She opens her eyes and look up at him. His eyes meet hers.

"Did you come to say good night?" she whispers. Spock holds her gaze.

"You feel asleep on the sofa…"

"I was hoping you would come and see me today."

"I came as soon as my duties would allow me."

"Stay with me. Please…" Emma closes her eyes again. Spock stood in the quietness, letting his race to what his logical decision would be. His feet felt glued to the floor, even though the logical thing to do would was to leave. Then he feels her hand on his. The past few sleepless nights seemed to finally catch up with him. Slowly he lies down next to her on the bed. Her body curls up to his just like their first night together. Spock's body finally relaxes and he falls fast asleep.


End file.
